Falling, and I Can
by Kimia-dono
Summary: We've heard the stories about Kagome and Inuyasha, we've heard about Sango and Miroku and all the others...but What was their relationship of Inuyasha and Kikyou like? What made a priestess that was to protect the jewel of four souls at all costs love a
1. Prologue

Okay, so like first attempt at an Inuyasha story...yup. Well, maybe not my _first. _This is the first Inuyasha fic I've posted here, I'm currently working on another as well that I have decided won't go up until I've finished it. Please R&R

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha...though I would be _so_ loaded if I did. Lols.

Prolouge

The girl had come running into the village at the crack of dawn, dirt covered and hectic almost on the verge of insanity from her fright. The village priestesses came out of their huts, grabbing bows and medical supplies. A group of them went to the girl and took her into instant care. The dogs were cowaring at their chains, ears back, talis between their legs. Likewise the priestesses could feel the tension in the air. What had happened?

"Sister..." One of the priestesses began, her midnight hair spilling over her shoulder as she leaned down to her. Though the priestess herself was still very young she had a motherly preseance about her. The girl nodded, acknowledging her.

"Yes." She answered rather breathlessly.

"What happened to you?" Now that she was close she could tell that this girl was also a priestess, her bow had been snapped in half, but she still held it close to her.

"A fellow priestess and I were out in the woods, we had to gather herbs for a wounded man in our village...a demon...it just attacked us." She told her, tears welling up in her eyes.

"And what of the other priestess?" She asked, fear gripping her heart.

"He killed her." She said, bursting into tears once more. She gathered the girl close and stroked her head as she cried into her kimono, soaking it through.

"What is your name sister?" She asked her, still rocking her as she wept for her friend.

"Ta-Taka." She stuttered through her grief.

"I am Kikyou." She introduced herself. She held the child away from her and looked her in the eyes.

"I swear to you that I will find this demon and destroy him." She told her.

She stood, taking her own bow in hand. The girl seemed stunned and she had stopped her weeping to look up at her in what seemed to be awe.

"The one that bears...the Shikon no Tama?" She asked. Kikyou sighed but nodded.

"The same." She answered.

She turned back to the other priestesses. "Take her inside and guard her lest the demon attempt to track her down, I will take some of our sisters with me in search of the one who did this." The other priestesses bowed and helped the girl up, leading her into one of the huts.

"Wait! Lady Kiykou!" She turned and looked back at her. "He has white hair...and, and ears!" She told her. She nodded and bowed in thanks and then turned to her small squad of women and motioned for them to follow. They melted into the forest like shadows.


	2. Chapter 1

Thanks for reviewing hon.

disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but if I did I would be _so_ loaded. lols.

Days, that was how long it had been since they had started the search for the young priestess' killer. They had found the body without trouble, the carrion were already picking at it which had lead them to her. All had mourned her, and Kikyou was disturbed when she had learned that it had been a priestess that had visited her not a day previously. She had come asking for advice for dressing a wound, she had been following that same advice when she was attacked and killed by the youkai. They had found the herbs that she had been searching for crushed in her lifeless hand. They had gone swiftly to work, wrapping her in a white sheet and then digging her grave, right underneath the tree that she had died upon. They had then lowered her in, using the sheet and buried the body. That had taken a better part of a day to do, plus the marker that they then carved and set over the freshly dug earthand then the flowers that she herself had gone and picked. They had then burned incense and offered their prayers before finally moving on.

The second day they had thought they may have found him, but it turned out to simply be an imitation youkai that was killed in a matter of seconds, revealing a shriveled body that was not that of the youkai they were searching for. The third day they had come across nothing, and now on the fourth it was not looking as though they would be cut any slack by the Gods. They were all tired, but she struggled to keep her eyes opened, searching the shadows always for any lurking dangers.

"We should stop soon for food and rest." She told the rest of the group. They all nodded. They would wait for a glade that would offer some sunshine other than the limited rays that were now filtering through the canopy above their dark heads.

It did not take long and soon they were all resting on the grass, food in hand, eating their meals silently as was the custom. Kikyou's eyes still flitted around the clearing's edge, watching, waiting, it would only be a matter of time before he attacked them, no youkai was that patient...but then there were those that could wait for days on end and never tire, perhaps he was one of those...though they were never said to attack humans without provocation. _What will he do?_ She wondered, fingering the stone laden string that hung around her neck which held the Shikon no Tama.

"Lady Kikyou?" She blinked and looked around at the priestess that had called her name.

"Yes Lady Shizuka?" She asked, not sure whether she had been previously adressed. She chastised herself mentally for day-dreaming.

"Do you think that perhaps we should turn back? None of us see any hope of ever finding the youkai." She told her, small eyebrows drawn down so that there were wrinkles between them. She stiffened.

"Would you have me break my vow to Lady Taka?" She asked indignantly, pride swelling. Once she made a promise it was as good as done, how could these other girls even think of suggesting such a thing. The other girl looked slightly dismayed.

"Surely she will forgive you, it is hopeless, there is no way to find him." She said, taking on a look of resonability. Kikyou sniffed and frowned slightly at them all.

"You are all free to go, but I refuse to leave this forest until I have taken revenge for my fallen sister." She told them, looking sidelong at all the faces. Some of them nodded in agreement, she knew that they would be the ones to stay with her. Shizuka bowed to her. She left right away with many of the others, all of them melting into the terrain as they had on the first day that they had come into these accursed woods. She sighed again. There were limited girls left, but she was pleased to see that they were the best of the girls that had come. There were three in all. Suzume, Rukita, and Tsubasa. All three were expert archers.

"Shall we continue on then?" She asked them. They nodded and all four got up and began their trek once more.

His nose twitched, so did his ears as new sounds and a familiar scent entered the range of his senses.

"Shikon no Tama." He said quietly to himself, his teeth bared in a feral grin. He took off into the air, wind whipping passed him as he traveled through the brush soundlessly. The humans would never know what was coming.

He stopped soundlessly in the brush a few meters ahead of where they currently were travelling. There was no sound from them save their breathing, heavy, though not laboured, and the slight crackling of leaves under their feet. They were moving so as not to make sound. They were hunting. The sweet scent of the jewel of four souls wafted into his nose, stronger than it had been on the girl that he had killed thinking that perhaps she possessed it. He was sure that the one whom carried it was within his grasp. They came into view finally, all were wearing the same outfit as the previous girl, all were female. _Priestesses._ He thought, finally figuring it out. He must have killed one from their sect. That meant that the one they were hunting for was himself. The corners of his mouth twitched and he cracked his knuckles, getting his claw-like fingernails ready for the carnage that he was about to induce upon this small group of mortals.

He sprang upon them silently, his claws sharp and ready for the kill. The one that he was pouncing on turned and shot an arrow at him. He cursed and wove to the side, sailing into the ground. He righted himself once more and set his sights on the one that had shot at him. He dodged up to the side and around, sinking his claws into the tender flesh of her arm. She cried out, but he had little time to do more damage as three other arrows sang through the air toward him. He dodged again, silver hair whipping his face as he jerked his head around to get a view of all of them. They didn't waist time and shot again without hesitation. One of the arrows glowed purple as it hit the ground beneath his feet. He jumped back. It was purifying energy. She was the one that possessed the jewel. He looked up at her to get a better view of her face.

She was lovely, her midnight hair splaying over her back in rivults of coal black silken threads, her mouth small and full, determined looking as she shot at him again. He dodged and wove, still keeping an eye on her face. Her skin was smooth and creamy, her black brows perfectly formed. She didn't smell half that bad either. He shook his head to snap himself out of it. What was he thinking. humans were weak, no matter how exceptional looking and that was that. That was the reason he saught what it was she possessed anyway, because of human weakness. He launched himself at them again, this time aiming straight for her. She seemed quite surprised as he came down at her and he felt a burning in his side but ignored it as he closed in on her small and insignifigant human form. She went down with him on top of her, ready to rip her throat out and claim his prize but she was quicker than expected and rolled instead of staying flat, usuing her feet to throw him off of her and into a nearby tree. He let out a slight grunt and then crouched, looking up at her menacingly.

She wasn't sure what to do as he came flying at her with a purpose, his golden eyes flashing in a wild and hungry way. It was second nature to her to defend herself and she had flipped him off of her without thought, now she aimed the last arrow at him, satisfied that she would be fulfilling what she said she would. She focused all of her miko energy into the arrow and drew the string tight, wanting him to be impaled to the spot so that he would never be able to move and die somewhere else. Besides, what better fitting place to die than under a tree, just like the little girl that he had killed so cruelly. He was gone in an instant and she blinked again, only to hear the screams of two of the other priestesses. She turned, breath catching in her throat, to see Ayame and Tsubasa fall to the ground, dead before impact, their blood spraying up and then subsiding. She couldn't find the voice to scream with, if she could've then she knew she would be, Rukita was. She had fallen to her knees beside her comrades and was holding one's hand and had the other's head cradled in her lap as she sat there and wept. The youkai twitched his bloody fingers and the claws caught a glimmer of sunlight, making the substance shine a bright ruby colour. She acted without thought then, Kikyou saw it happen, saw the madness enter her eyes as she suddenly stood and took out a concealed knife, charging at him.

"Rukita! No!" She screamed, finding her breath finally. She pluged toward her, trying to avoid the inevitable, but it was too late, just as she made to grab the sleeve of her friend's kimono, her body went slack and her blood sprayed onto her face as she fell to the ground, just as dead as the other two. She found that she was now alone with the mad youkai, his eyes shining in blood-lust as he looked at her from the other side of the priestesses' bodies. Suddenly she was afraid. She was alone now more than ever, and what of the others that had come with her and then left? Had he already done away with them? Her hands shook as she stood there, seemingly holding a staring contest with him. Neither moved, though she would have liked to, would've liked to take an arrow and use it as a knife and drive it through his heart...if he even had one. The sun caught on something that was running down his cheek and it caught her eye momentarily. Was that a tear that she saw. She looked at him in increduality.

"Y-you're _crying_?" The thought was outrageous, he had just killed three women without batting an eyelid, but he was crying? His brows shot down and he bared his teeth.

"I am _not_ crying, only weaklings and humans cry, and I am neither!" He shouted at her. The sudden outburst shocked her and she stumbled back a few steps out of pure nervousness. His eyes were filled with a haunted rage that she could neither fathom feeling nor describe.

"I saw it." She said, gaining a little more courage. He pounced on her before she could so much as blink, and his hand had closed around her throat, cutting off air passage. She made small choking sounds as she struggled for breath. Was she going to die here? Was she going to die and not fulfill her promise to Taka? She movedher hands up to his thick and pale wrist, attempting to bring it away. He was too strong. Tears were coming to her eyes from the amount of effort that she was putting forth without the help of oxygen, and she could feel her hands beginning to tingle from the lack of circulation to her brain and her thinking was becoming fuzzy.

"L-let...go..." She managed to rasp it out, but it was so quiet that she could barely hear that she had actually said it. His ears twitched forward and she felt the pressure on her wind tunnel lessen but it was still not enough to allow for breathing. She could feel blood and spittle in her mouth as the fluid in her lungs began to come up and drown her. Some spilled from the corner of her mouth and over onto her chin and then his hand. A look of horrification passed over his face for only a moment before it became what it had been before, but he let go.

She gulped the air in, a hand at her hurting throat as she hacked and coughed. She swayed where she knelt, trying her best to keep her balance. She clutched at her own hidden knife and drew it with lightening fast precision, slashing across his chest. The momentum sent her now weak body to the ground and all she saw from that point on was darkness.

_She had called a name, she wasn't sure what it was, but the man turned and she saw the youkai that had attacked her and the other priestesses. She did not hesitate, though her body seemed heavy with griefe as she loosed the arrow and it plunged itself into his heart, pinning him to a tree with a binding spell. He would never move from that spot again._

Kikyou woke with a start, shooting up from where she lay. A fire was crackling merrily, the ceiling above her was all sky, stars, and moon and an owl hooted his mournful song in the distance while crickets chirped all around her. She didn't remember this place, she was in a field. The last place that she had been was the forest where everyone had been... She couldn't finish the thought, and it brought tears to her eyes. She realized that there was a red piece of fabric covering her and on closer inspection she found that it was a kimono. She ran her hands over it. It was soft and closely knit together, red like her own hakama. A twig snapped and she brought her bow about, ready to shoot whomever it was that was intruding upon her nighttime resting place. The silver haired youkai came into the firelight and she hardenend her gaze, drawing the string tighter and aiming straight for his heart...just like in her dream. Only, this time she did not say anything for she did not know what to say to the man that had killed four of her sisters and then hesitated in taking her life. She would kill him, had to kill him. He stopped and eyed the arrow that was pointed at him before uttering a small "Keh." then moving passed her, yanking bow and arrow from her grasp without any trouble at all. She gasped in surprise.

"Shut up and sit down mortal." He told her dismissively. No one talked to her like that.

"How dare you say such a thing to me!" She cried. "You killed them all and you just expect me to do your bidding?" She glared at him as he sat cross-legged across the fire from her and glared back.

"Yeah, I do, besides, wouldn't that give ya' all the more reason to listen to what I have to say?" He asked her. His voice was oddly annoying, but it suited what she had seen of his personality thus far. She crossed her arms across her chest defiantly.

"No." She answered simply. He blinked, looking as though he had not expected her to react in such a way. It would seem that her host was used to getting things done his way. He scowled at her and stood, stepping toward her once. She didn't flinch. His scowl deepened and he sat down heavily once more. She realized that his gi was gone and then remembered the bright red cloth that had been layed over her as she slept. It was the kimono he had been wearing earlier. She was even more confused now. He was a blood thirsty beast and yet he had taken the time to make sure that she was warm and realatively comfortable? What was wrong with him? She too sat down after a few moments of standing and she stared at him. He looked across at her, ears twitching.

"What're you starin' at?" He asked her darkly. Her left eye twitched but she stayed realatively calm.

"You killed my friends and another priestess not so long ago as well...but you made sure that I was comfortable." She stated matter-of-factly. "Why?" He made a grumbling sound in his chest.

"The others aren't dead, and I didn't mean to kill that little girl." He muttered.

"What!" She asked, dumbfounded. He seemed to remember that she was there and he jumped.

"I saidit's none of your business ugly!" She was taken aback. Ugly? Had he just called her ugly?

"Excuse me!" She yelled at him.

"You heard me!" He yelled back. She found herself speechless. This man was pysco. She turned her head away and looked in the other direction, refusing to face him any longer. The indignaty of the whole situation was enough to make her scream. She should be killing him right now, but found that she couldn't, she was too interested in this gods forsaken man. Why had he suddenly burst out like that, it seemed that he was prone to such fits. She shifted her gaze in his direction and regarded him from the corner of her eye.

"I have an obligation to kill you, you know." She told him.

"Keh." There it was again. It seemed to be his favorite word. She knew that he was scoffing at her, knew that he believed that she would never be able to hurt him above the scratch of an arrow over his skin as he fled faster than she could shoot.

"Go back to sleep." He ordered her. She sniffed in indignance, but laid down anyway because she was tired. The kimono that he had left for her was warm and she snuggled into it against the cool spring night. Should she really fall asleep here, he could kill her while she slept, he could be waiting for that. But he had said that he hadn't meant for that young priestess to die, though it was so quiet that she could have been hearing things...but she doubted it. She fell into a fitful sleep.

As soon as her breathing had become deep and even he knew that she was asleep. _Foolsih girl._ He thought, now she was all the more vulnerable. It disturbed him that he had said his thoughts outloud earlier, he was allowed to show emotions to no one. No one should know what he was thinking or feeling. It made him all the more weak. He waited as she slept, when he thought it was safe he would go over and steal it from her. Its scent was heavy and sweet, making his mouth water with longing for its power. Soon he would be a full demon, not some measly half-demon that could do little against any foe. He was an outsider to both races, humans and demons alike. After his mother had died he was chased out of their village by the men, calling him names and cursing at him, throwing rocks at him even. He had never met his father and when he had finally met his brother he had disowned him without so much as a blink of his stony and heartless eyes. He would show him at least, become a full-demon to equal him in skill and lethality. Then surely he would be accepted by him, and humans would fear him too much to pelt him with rocks and the like.

He could wait no longer and he crept forward, making no sound as he closed the distance between himself and the priestess. Closer, closer, closer... He felt his heart beating faster as his excitement grew. He reached her sleeping body, it was beautiful and serene in the moonlight. He felt his breath catch at the sight of her and then shook his head. What was wrong with him, those that loved humans were weak, just as his father had to have been weak. He reached his hand out slowly, carefully parting the front of her gi slightly, and reaching for the stone embeded string that he knew held what it was he was looking for. He gave a surprised yelp as his wrist was grabbed in an iron-like grip pushed against his pressure point causing him to let go. He found that he was on his back on the hard ground, the priestess over top of him, her eyes wide awake despite the sleep that she had been in not two minutes before. He quickly blinked the surprise from his face and began to fight back. He knew that he was stronger than she was, he knew that he would dominate. Not without a fight it would seem.

He turned the tables quickly enough but did not stay on top for long, she used the same manuver that she had earlier that day and sent him flying away, skidding across the ground on his back. He got up quickly and found that she was fleeing back into the forest. He cursed and picked up his gi as he started after her. He found that the cloth smelt like her after having covered her slender body and he grimaced despite the fact that it was not an unpleasent scent. It was a human smell afterall and all humans smelled bad...all except his mother. He was already gaining on her as she entered the forest. He wasn't at all sure how she traveled so fast. It must have beena human thing, he had noticed that they seemed to be able to run faster if their lives were on the line. He gained momentum and lept up into the air, hoping to land infront of her, but she was in the forest already before he made his landing. He skidded and then got up again, following her in. He would catch her sooner or later. His feet, light against the ground made little more than a rustle as a sign of his passage. He could hear her heavy footsteps up ahead, despite the fact that he could not see her. He lept ahead and she came into view, white gi livid against the cold dark-green of the forest at night. He smirked and started his excursion forward. He lept upon her, tackling her to the ground as he grabbed her by the waist. She didn't stop for breath in her struggle for freedom and he struggled hard to keep her where she was. She reached back and hit him over the head with her fist.

"Ow!" He cried. She managed to kick him away and started to crawl back to her feet but he gained height and pushed her down by the shoulders, rolling her over and pinning her hands at her sides. They both panted hard as they stared one another down. He had finally won the advantage, but her eyes were still defiant as she looked up at him.


	3. Chapter 2

Thank you for reviewing (the _two_ of you). Anyway, I'm sorry that there was such an intermission between chapters, hopefully I will be able to update quiker now that summer vacation is here, I am also sorry for the length, but this chapter was starting to kill me and I wanted to get it done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha...but if I did I would be _so_ loaded!

Chapter 2

The Tormented Soul Behind that Haunted Gaze

Kikyou almost screamed in frustration as he caught her once more. She was too tired now to fight back, and her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. Her stare was defiant, she hoped that it would make him angry. She didn't know why. He was also heaving, his white hair was tickling her face and she could feel his breath on her face. It was warm compared to the night around them. She blinked and mentally slapped herself. What was her problem? He had kidnapped her, intending to steal the Shikon no tama from around her neck and had almost killed all of her fellow priestesses, and that was only if his word was to be trusted and he had not lied. How could comeone that killed little girls really be trusted afterall?

"What is that scent you wear?" He asked suddenly. She blinked a couple of times before she was sure that she had heard the question correctly.

"Jasmine. Why?" She asked shortly, not because she meant to but because she still hadn't caught her breath. He scowled.

"'Cause it stinks." He answered. She scowled back at him.

"What is your _problem_?" She yelled. She had finally lost her temper. He seemed taken aback but quickly recovered.

"What're you yellin' for?" He hollared right back. She pushed him off of her as he had not expected her to do so and then she slapped him.

"Did your mother ever teach you any manners or was she as barbarous as you are?" She yelled again, tears in her eyes at the inhumanity of it all. His eyes were wide and he was silent, simply staring off in the other direction as the force of her hand had snapped his neck to the side. She thought she saw tears forming, but then again, the light wasn't very good in the forest. When he finally regained his voice it was quiet and deadly and it made the hairs on her body rise.

"Never speak about my mother." He got up and pulledher roughly with him, using her wrist. She stumbled to her feet and felt her wrist twist. It was painful, but she said nothing.

"Now, give me the Shikon no tama and I'll be on my way." He demanded, fixing her with another of his glares. She regained her confidence and narrowed hers at him.

"No." She anwered, confidence her main goal, it seemed to work. He grunted.

"Fine then I'll take it from you ugly." He said, pulling her toward him and reaching for the string that hung about her neck. She used her free hand to stop him, pulling out one of the many concealed weapons that she carried on her person. She slashed at the hand that was going for the jewel and focused miko energy into it to let him know she meant business. He drew back, sucking in air through his teeth.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded loudly.

"The reason that I am the bearer of the Shikon jewel." She answered him, giving him a hard stare. He looked slightly afraid.

"The wound...won't close." He said, face the picture of pain. She looked at him for a few more moments.

"Why do you want it so much?" She asked him curiously.

"Oh wouldn't _you_ like to know." He said sarcastically. His ears twitched and he finally straightened. Blood still oozed from the wound.

"You're not just gonna let me bleed to death are ya'?" He asked suddenly. She sniffed indifferently.

"You killed a priestess, I promised her sister revenge, I have kept my word." She told him, turning on her heel and walking down the path, back toward her village.

He had cursed as he had watched her walk away, it wasn't fair. It had been there, it had been right there and he had missed it. He sat in the tree pinning away like a child, hand over a still bleeding wound. He was begginning to feel faint from the loss of his blood, he assumed that he would have to go and see a healer soon. He grunted in annoyance. Why was he so weak? If he were a full demon he bet that the wound would've healed without a second thought to it, but here he was, his half-mortality making him weak, causing him to be close to death in only a few hours. He pushed himself up against the trunk and stood slightly stooped as he looked over the landscape. There was a town not too far away, he would go there and get the healing, then he would follow the woman's scent and destroy her and her village. He took off into the air without a second thought.

The town was small and the people there all backed away as soon as they saw him, some running with their fear. He smirked, he may not be able to fool other demons, but humans were ignorant and always had been. None of them needed to know that he was a child of taboo, only that he would be able to destroy them all, if he so wished. He walked down the street and looked about, trying to see if he could find a sign that said "apothecary." No such luck. He stopped an old man in the street.

"You, old man." The man's full attention was on him, he looked mortified. "Where's the village healer?" He demanded. He pointed a shaky finger in the direction of a rather large central building. Inuyasha grunted and headed in that direction without so much as a thanks. He didn't even stop when the guards told him to halt, he simply walked on, ignoring them and their human weakness. His bare feet were muddy, for it had been raining, and they tracked into the house behind him. Many of the maids exclaime and started to chastise him, but when he looked at them they fell silent out of fear and simply started to clean the floors once more.

"You! What do ya think ye're doin'?" Asked a guard. He was about to give him the same death glare he had entreated the maids with when he thought slightly better of it. He fixed him with a hard look, crossing his arms and demanding:

"Where's the doctor?" The man frowned and was about to open his mouth to make a retort, but all he had to do was glower and the man stopped and answered:

"In th' back room." Inuyasha moved on, the stunned guard gawking at his back, not entirely sure what had happened.

He traveled along the twisting and turning corridors until he made his way to where he wanted to be. The door was closed and his nose picked up the scents of herbal medicine and sickness and of course the people that resided within. He covered his nose in distaste and then slid the door opened without annoucing himself and walked in. It was a scary scene, the man that lay in the palat smelt of sick and decaying life and the other was quietly feeding him something that was causing him to gag. He couldn't help but slightly gag himself at the morbid scents. _Ugh, humans._ He thought to himself.

"You! Old man! Are you th' doctor?" He asked through his sleeve, his voice was slightly muffled by it. The man turned in shock to see that there was someone there but quickly compoesd himself. He bowed deeply, pressing his forehead to the floor.

"My Lord youkai, how may I be of service?" He asked in a thin and wavery voice. This was more like it. He allowed himself a smirk behind his sleeve before pulling it away.

"I need you to fix this." He told him, baring the slash across his chest. The old man nodded gravely. The man that he had been treating was seeming to be having a rather hard time over where he lay.

"Do not worry, Genji-sama, you will be fine for now, it will only take a moment or two to fix this man and then send him on his way." He assured him. He helped the man lie down and then stood slowly, walking to the door and motioning for Inuyasha to follow him out. He did so and waited as the doctor closed that shoji and then opened another, beckoning him inside.

"Kimono off." He told him. He listened grudgingly and sat corss-legged on the floor, waiting for the other to sit down.

"Well now young lord, it would seem that you had a bit of a scuff with someone." He told him, seating himself and digging through his bag. "Hope it was nothing too serious." Inuyasha sniffed disdainfully.

"What seems to be the problem then?" He asked him.

"It won't heal." He answered. The doctor looked at him in dismay.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean Lord." He told him. He sighed at the idiocy of humans and explained it very slowly.

"I mean, it won't stop bleedin'" He answered. "and I always heal completely within hours of havin' my guts spilled, but this time it didn't stop or heal at all." The doctor stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Well you're in luck, I just so happen to have just the thing for that." He took out a jar and undid the lid, the smell was a horribly bitter one and he found himself scrunching his sensitive nose. He dipped knarled fingers into the salve and then smeared it onto the wound carefully, reapplying it every once in a while. Finally he finished and Inuyasha found that he smelled abysmally, but he would put up with it if it worked, and it did. The blood flow had already stopped in some spots and the others were begginning to dry up. As soon as that happened he knew that he would start healing. He laughed wickedly to himself. Now he could go and destroy the village and get the Shikon no Tama. He did something that he did not often do, just then, he got to his knees and bowed his thanks to the old man. Then he opened the door and took off down the hall, there was no use waisting time, the scent of his prey would be too old if he did.

Kikyou found herself where she wanted to be hours after she had gotten away. She was exhausted, afterall all that running could do a number on someone. She stumbled into the viallage and everyone that was out working in their gardens or on the fields dropped their tools to come and greet her. She gave them all a weary smile and straightened herself, forcing her aching feet to find their way one in front of the other as she made her way to her hut. She went in without hesitation and found Kaede and the priestess whom she had made the promise of revenge to talking quietly as they sat, the window on the other side of the room opened to permit the entrance of light. They heard the rustle of the grass mat that covered the door as she brushed it aside and both faced her, getting to their feet to come and help her.

"One-san!" Kaede cried happily. She embraced Kikyou firmly.

"The others told us that you had been taken by the demon and were surely dead." She told her, brown eyes wide. Her smile was one of someone whom had grown old and was tired of being there as she looked down at this young child that was more like a daughter than the latter. The other priestess bowed to her low and formally.

"Thank you for seeing that my sister's vengeance was exacted." She told her. Kikyou nodded bitterly. Yes he was dead, and it would have been a slow death, if he was even dead yet, though she knew that he would be soon if he was not now.

"Imotou-chan, would you please...bring me some tea?" Kaede nodded and went over to the fire promptly to take the kettle off and pour some of the boiling beverage into a cup for her. She accepted greatfully as she sat down, folding her hakama expertly.

"Please, tell me how...I want to know how my friend's killer died." The other girl said suddenly. She turned her brown eyes onto the other priestess and held her gaze for a moment before answering.

"It is my fault that your friend died." She told her, turning her gaze into the tea that she held, the deep amber coloured liquid swished to and fro' in her slightly shaking hands. Her voice sounded stunned and she knew that if she were looking at her, her hazel orbs would be rounded like saucers.

"Your friend visited me for help with a herbal remedy for a dying man in your village, if she had not come here to me, or if I had not been entrusted to this," She pulled the jewel from under her kimono, "then she would never have died." She told her.

"That isn't true, it wasn't your fault." She protested, she looked up into the other's eyes once more, sadly.

"He attacked her because he smelt the jewel on her, he thought that she might have it. That is why she died the way that she did." She confided. The priestess gasped.

"That can't be, I won't believe it!" She cired, angry it seemed at having to hear that she was the one at fault.

"You helped her, that was a good thing, I will not believe that you were at fault for such a thing. She chose to come to you, if it is anyone's fault then blame fate!" She sat back, flustered. Kikyou was shocked that she would so readily defend her. She had caused the death of her friend, but she refused to let it stand as that.

"The only thing that matters is that he is dead." She said with finality, her voice calm and quiet once more.

"I must return to my village to help that man, if it is not already too late." She told them. She stood and bowed.

"Thank you for your hospitality, and I hope that you will come and visit us some day." With that she thrust aside the curtain and was gone. She sighed and finished her tea, her thoughts troubled. She hoped that he really was dead and that it wasn't just some sort of wishfull fantasy.

Onigumo, who was a theif, landed in the small port of Hokkaido with the ship called _Jade Peony _from the continent of China. It had been a very long time since he had been home to Japan, and it had changed drastically already, despite the fact that he had left when the warring states was passed its prime and the fighting had died down enough that they were once again allowed the luxury of travel. He was a theif, and he knew the towns and villages inside and out, save for some that he had never made it to when he had still been living on the Japanese isles, before he had crossed the sea for the larger pickings in the Chinese territory, as well as Koryo and India. He smiled impishly to himself as he stepped out onto the main street of the town and through it toward the wilderness. His feet shuffled on the ground as he made his way along. There were plenty of little towns to steal from and pleanty of women to woo. Perhaps he would have enough by the end to afford himself a geisha, that would be a wonderful thing. He had spent so long without the company of a woman of any class that he was almost dying to simply take one on the road. But he decided against it. He may have been a dishonest man, but it was below even _him_ to rape a helpless woman.

He whistled a tune as he made his way along, there were trees that he had remembere leaving as saplings that had grown quite tall in his absence and there were people that he thought he may recognize on the road as well, people that may have been young children when he left. It had been...well he wasn't sure how long and so he took a minute to figure it out in his head. He was un-educated, but knew enough to be able to count years and days. Finally he came to the comclusion that it had indeed been fifteen Japanese new years since he had left for the continent. He whistled his slight awe at the prospect. That was when he saw a travelling merchant's cart and he thanked his lucky stars. Already he had some prey and it hadn't even taken long. And to his luck even more, there was no one on the road to help the man if he called out for it. He drew his katana and grinned maliciously.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dead man knocking at my door

How long had it been since she had eaten? She couldn't remember. She was starving, even ravenous perhaps, but Kikyou had not been able to eat due to a heavy sense of foreboding that she had been experiencing all day. It had caused the loss of her appetite, and she knew that she was worrying Kaede. She couldn't help it. She sensed that a long line of unfortunate happennings was about to begin. She could not explain why or how, but the sensation could be felt in her bones. She sighed and declined the fourth attempt that her little sister had made all day to try and get her to eat something. The smell of food was making her slightly queezy. The girl set down her tray and regarded her with concerned eyes, wrinkles were formed upon her brow from the position of her eye brows and her small mouth was set in a half-pout as she looked at the raven haired young woman. She simply stared back at her, brown eyes unwavering as she met the other's, so much like hers, and yet the face they appeared in so infinitely different. She wasn't homely, Kaede was far from that extreme, but her looks were not to die for. If she did not settle on the same life that she herself had, then perhaps she would be lucky enough to attract one of the more handsome village boys.

"Onee-chan you must eat something." She conceded finally, giving in to what must have been an intolerable silence for her. She shook her head.

"I am not hungry today Kaede, you eat something, you'll worry yourself sick if you keep trying to feed me." She told her. The girl bowed her head in defeat.

"I don't think that it is very healthy for you though." She answered as she sat down and started eating what had originally been meant for her. She sighed once more and looked out the solitary window that they had in their small-one roomed-hut. The sky was a clear blue, her mood should've been good, considering the day, but it was not. A shiver ran up her spine and she stood, heading toward the door.

"Where are you going Onee-chan?" Kaede asked, half standing herself. She motioned for her to sit once more.

"I think I will take a walk, I won't be long ." She told her. The girl nodded and setteled herself once more before Kikyou pushed aside the grass curtain and walked out into the brightly lit sunshine. Despite her light words to her little sister, she took a bow with her. She felt safer that way, it gave her a little more security than she would've had should she have left without it. Some of the priestess nodded to her as she walked down the path and she nodded back, one of them was Ayame. The moment that she had come out of her hut once more after she had escaped her encounter with the demon, slaying him in her wake, the others that had been with her whom she had presumed dead had flocked to her with questions. That right then reminded her of the demons words as she had spoken to him from across the fire the day that he had kidnapped her. _I didn't mean to kill that little girl_. She had been shocked to hear him say it, and it still disturbed her. He had was a killer, and mindless, cold blooded, killer that didn't deserve life, and so she taken it. But still she felt that she had taken the life of an innocent. She shook the thoughts away. He had deserved that and worse and that was the end of it. Her mind raced as she moved placidly around, not giving away her mood and mind set. It was something ingraned in the minds of priestesses when they first started their trainning and she had perfected the technique and made it an art. She was able to call on the reserve at any time, her face could become as smooth and unreadable as glass. That was the way that she had always been, and she was proud of it, just as she was proud of the knowledge that she came from a long and powerful line of mikos. She was even remotely related to the priestess Midoriko, whom had been the maker of the jewel of four souls that she now held in her posession. As the legened went, just before she died not more than three years before, it had burst forth from her heart, combining both her powers and that of a thousand demons into one solitary cool violet gem. She took the thing out of the front of her kimono and looked at it for a few moments, running a finger over its smooth and polished surface. She jewel never seemed to dirty either. It was a pure looking thing, and did not seem to carry any of the evil that was said to reside within it at all. She sighed and put it away once more. She fancied things too much, always mulling things over in her mind. It never seemed to be at rest. She looked up at her surroundings and found that she had wandered farther away from the viallage than had been intended. She sighed in annoyance and started back in the other direction. She mused too much in deed, she had been so enwrapped within her own thoughts that she had failed to notice where she was headed. Walking briskly she saw the viallage down the hill and sighed in reliefe. Not so far afterall. There were shouts coming from the small cluster of huts and fields and she frowned. Then there were screams and she ran down the hill without hesitation. _You even felt it! How could you have not seen this coming! _ She berated herself. She pulled out an arrow and knocked it to her bow, drawing near to the first house. Her breath caught and she halted in her steps. He was supposed to be dead. He had a young man by the scruff of the neck, he was held in mid-air and he was gasping for breath. She remembered the crushing grip on her own throat and her hand went subconsciously to her pale neck where there had been bruises not a few days before. She didn't hesitate anymore and she took aim, not announcing herself. The bow twanged and the arrow sung through the air toward him, full of purifying energy. She didn't know how he had survived the first, but he would not get away this day alive. His ears twitched toward the sound and he quickly dropped the man, jumping out of the way so that the arrow missed. She made a sound of annoyance and knocked another to the bow, ready to shoot once more. He was too quick, she never had a chance to react before he was on her. He came up from behind and wrapped his arm around her upper body, two claws in the killing position, ready to slit her throat. She thought that she was dead right then and she felt her body go numb with fear. This was the end then, and she was right all along, he was an unconcienced killer. What happened next was not what she had expected. He let her go and she fell none too gracefully to the ground. She picked herself up and gave him a look that could kill. He returned the glare with equal benevolence and then turned to look at what he had in his hand. She gasped when she realized that it was the Shikon no tama and her hand went to her throat where it usually would've resided. He didn't say anything, he just smirked and took off.

"Hey!" She screamed after him. He didn't react and she was quickly on her feet, following him and the Shikon no tama. This was not good.

Inuyasha entered the village without hesitation. This was the one, he knew it was, her scent was scattered all over it and he walked in, scowling at everyone that dared pass a glance his way. One man kept his gaze and he decided that he would be ample prey to taugnt and make a fool of. He stalked over to him, golden eyes level. He stopped within two inches of the man's face and glared down at him. He seemed to be slightly unnerved now as he averted his gaze momentarily before meeting golden orbs once more.

"Where is she?" Inuyasha growled. The man looked confused.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." He stammered. His scowl deepend and he took the man by the scruff of the neck and shook him none too lightly.

"The priestess! Where is she?" He yelled. He was genuinely scared now, he knew. He could smell it on him.

"Th-there are many priestesses within this village, I need a name." He told him frantically.

"I don't know 'er name supid or else I'd be askin' by it!" He yelled. The man brought his tool up suddenly as if to strike him with it. He caught his wrist and pressed the pressure point, casuing him to drop the thing to the ground. He then proceded to lift the man into the air by the throat. They had attracted an audience by now, and some of the women screamed when he lifted the man, others were yelling at him. His ear flattened. He looked at some of them and they coward away, some of the women screamed once more. It was an annoying sound. He turned his attention back to his victim. He had been counting on the priestess to be there to witness his destroying the village, it would've given him much pleasure, but it didn't matter any more. He would just do it and be done. His ears flicked to the side at a new sound and he dropped him victim, jumping out of the way just in time for the arrow to fly passed where he had been standing not a minute before. He whipped his head aroundand saw the very person that he had been looking for. She knocked the bow once more and he moved before she could draw and shoot, jumping up over her head and landing behind her, grabbing her upper body to get her off balance. He concentrated on his claws and they grew to a dedly sharp tip and he prepared to plunge them into her throat instead of taking the whole village. He stopped, however, and thought better about what he had been close to doing. Instead he reached his hand into her kimono, drawing out the Shikon jewel as he danced away on light feet, letting her drop to the ground. She picked herself up right away, brushing off the dust and giving him a death glare. He glared back, it seemed to be a game that they played, each testing the limits of the other. He unclenched his fist and looked down at the smooth and polished surface of his prize, turning his gaze back to her and smirking. She seemed utterly dumbfounded and her hand flew to her neck. He didn't linger any longer for the other priestesses were emerging having heard all the fuss and he took off back into the forest that he had come from.

He could hear her distant footsteps as she chased after him and he cursed under his breath. Yeah he had expected her to follow him, but not this far and not for this long. He thought that she would've been out of breath long before now and that he would've been able to get far away and use his wish before she could ever find him. But she was persistent. A part of him, the human part he wagered, just wanted to stop and use her to his advantage, but he did not, he knew that shewas too dangerous for him, and besides, humans were disgusting. Weak and feeble to a fault. His own mother had been human yes, but that mattered little. She was the only one that had ever deserved kindness she was the only one that had ever accepted him for whom he was. There were even human women, he heard, with half-demon children that had killed them because of the taboo, and the disgrace that was brought on one's famliy. In both races, a half-demon's blood was considered dirty. He shook his head, clearing it of those thoughts and sped on. He assumed that he would have to keep going for a little bit, the womanwas close enough that he could hear her laboured breathing, soon her body would have to stop for rest or it would collapse from fatigue and the strain of constant running. He half-turned to see if she had come into view yet, and was startled to see her not more than a foot away from him.

"Kuso!" He grunted before turning aroud fully once more and picking up the pace, but it was too late, the fact that he had taken time to turn around and look had slowed him enough that she was able to jump him. They both went cascading to the ground, landing hard and skidding to a stop quite far from the capture point.

"Dammit! Let go of me woman!" He yelled. She struggled to keep a hold of him.

"N-no!" She managedto gasp it out between laboured breaths. He struggled harder and finally managed to kick her away.

"Ow!" She cried, taking his blow to her side, the wind rushing from her lungs as she did. She lay on the ground panting. Not sire what to do he stood looking at her for a few moments. Too long once again. She was back on her feet faster than he had thought possible and she lunged at him. He dodged backward and it was her turn to curse.

"Give it back!" She commanded, making a desperate movement to snatch the said item from his hand. He moved it away and she chased it around, jumping up in the air as he held it above her head. She looked like a desperate little child trying to get back a favorite toy. He had a flash-back of his own child hood as children played keep away with his favorite ball and then he smirked, glad to see that the tables were turned.

"Just try and get it." He taughnted her. She jumped once more and he moved it out of range and then back into it as she came back down to the ground. She was leaning on him for support as she tried getting it without jumping and he felt the warmth of her body with an uneasing clarity. He moved away, daughnted by the sudden sensation. He didn't like it and he started to run again, this time purely out of fear for what he thought he was feeling. He could hear her distant shouts as she chased after him once more, but he had picked up the pace, he doubted that she would catch up anytime soon, if ever.

Kikyou kicked the dead leaves where he had been standing not moments before and then started to run again. Her undernourished body was strongly protesting the exhertion, but she ignored it. The only thing that was important was the retireval of that jewel. Her lungs were bursting for oxygen and every breath was like fire rushing down her parched throat. But she could not afford to stop. If she did, she would surely lose him, and if she did that, then there was no hope of ever getting the jewel back. She didn't know why he wanted it, but she could guess that it was probably so that he could become stronger than he already was. They finallt cleared the forest and she could see him bounding across the meadow that they had been in not more than two days prior. She did not stop to contemplate it but kept on going, mind ticking. Once she got the jewel back she wondered if she would be able to keep it. Her body was almost completely taxed and she knew that it was only still going on the neccessity to find he jewel and return it to her keeping. Passed that she didn't know whether it would be able to keep on this mindless running. Her stomach growled, she ignored it. She had to keep going there was no other option. She felt her feet stumbling and her adreneline lagging, but still she forced herself on. She would force herself to her last breath if she had to, so that no one could say that the priestess Kikyou had not done her best in trying to protect something so precious, and potentially dangerous. She had caught up again, his back was in plane slight and she almost laughed giddily. She sprang upon him and tackled him once again, this time going straight for the jewel. She didn't and she collided solidly with his chest, sendin them to the ground once more, her on top. She clutched the jewel in her small hand and held on for dear life, then exhaustion over took her and she simply lay there, unable to move any longer. She felt blood rushing to her head and she struggled to remain conscious. Her breathing was ragged and she felt like she would never get enough oxygen again as long as she lived. She felt his hand try to pry hers opened and she simply tightened her grip. It was solid and unmoveable and he cursed.

"Stupid bitch, get offa' me." He growled. She had no energy to even take offense to the insult and certainly not enough to oblidge the order. He made an annoyed sound deep in his chest and rolled her off. She fell limply to the ground next where he was and she could feel his eyes as he sat staring at her. Finally the darkness was starting to set in and she felt her mind slipping into oblivion. She was going to faint. She had never fainted before, it was a new sensation, and one that made her a little scared as it succmed her with no way to be reversed. She slipped into darkness.

Inuyasha saw her eyes roll up into the back of her head and swore once again. But, seeing his chance, he attempted prying her fingers opened once more. They still had the same death grip and there was nothing that he could do about it. He sighed in anger and agitation. Even in unconsciousness she was able to protect the stupid thing. It was no wonder that she had fainted, she had gone beyond her body's limits in her mad chasing of his person, plus it was a warm day. She had been chasing him for hours, he saw looking at the sky and seeing that it was stained firey colours as the sun began to set. It had been high noon when she had started chasing him. Even if she was less than likeable, he felt that he couldn't just leave her there, and there were more threatening demons than he that would smell the jewel and be immediately drawn to its power. He scooped her up in his arms, a task that was all together not that hard at all and he wondered at it. She was petite, but still lighter than she looked. He supposed it was because of the controlled eating that the priestesses practised. They were rumored to only have two meals a day and then nothing to drink but water in between. He didn't see how they did it, he never could, he was always ravenous by the time he reached any of his meals. There would be a town near by that he could get her a hut to stay in. Anyone would willingly open their home to a priestess, even if she was accompanied by a "demon." Humans seldome knew him for what he was, a hanyou of little power compared with his demon counter parts, meaning his father, that he had never met, and his half-brother whom had disowned him at a young age Sesshomaru. He didn't understand any of them, but he would rather be a demon than a human, he would rather not be helpless, as humans often were. He hated them. He broke through the woods and onto the road, his nose sniffing the air delecately as he walked. The smell of cooking fires was not too far in the distance and where there were cooking fires there was food andwarm beds. He preferred the outdoors, but his unexpected charge would probably do better inside of a home. The moment he walked into town he was given scared glances and many whispered amongst themselves. He sighed and glared at each of them in turn as he made his way down the road. He found a house that looked promising, mostly because of the mouth-watering scents that drifted through the door, and knocked awkwardly. A woman drew back the grass mat that covered it and jumped when she saw him.

"I found this in the forest." He told her gruffly. So what if it wans't the truth, she didn't need to know anyway. She looked shocked and she quickly called inside the house for a male, no doubt to carry the priestess in. He would not stay here, he decided, but he tried once more, unsuccessfully to pry her fingers open and retrieve the jewel before he finally gave up. The man, a youth that was probably no older than Inuyasha himself appeared and took her into his arms. Inuyashsa took off. Now to rob some fires and find a place to sleep.


End file.
